Wedding on a Budget: How to Save Your Bridal Party Money

Plan Local
Choosing local venues for your engagement party, bachelorette/bachelor party, bridal/wedding shower, and even your wedding is the best way to save your bridal party major cash. If you do opt for destination events, be sure to plan far in advance so that everyone can find the cheapest travel options.

Keep Your Parties Small
Inviting tons of people to your pre-wedding events will significantly drive up the cost of food, venue rental, favors/gifts, decor, etc. Keep your events small and intimate.

Choose Cost-Effective Themes
Rather than asking for a boozy bash in Las Vegas for your bachelorette or bachelor party, suggest an at-home event with a low price tag, like a backyard barbeque with the boys or an old fashioned sleepover with at-home beauty treatments. Try out the DIY Grapefruit Mint Sugar Scrub (pictured) for a DIY beauty treatment that would make a fun, low-key bachelorette party activity.

Register in all Price Ranges
One of the biggest expenses for the bridal party is all the gifts they’re expected to buy (engagement party, bridal/wedding shower, bachelorette/bachelor party, and wedding gifts!). Make sure your registry has a variety of items to suit every budget so your guys and gals don’t go broke.

Limit the Number of Gifts
Tell your attendants to buy you one gift each to reduce gifting costs. Or, suggest that they all chip in together on larger registry items.

Ask for Time, Not Gifts
If you want to really limit expenses for your ‘men and ‘maids, ask them for help with wedding tasks (like assembling favors, stuffing invitations, wedding day setup and teardown, etc) instead of buying you gifts.

Out of Towners Might Not Make It to Every Event
And that’s ok. If your bridal party is scattered around the state/country, they may not be able to afford to travel to every pre-wedding party or event. Remember, they’ll be there for the big day, and that’s what’s important.

Choose a Color, Not a Dress or Shoe
Choose a color (or color palette) and let the girls pick out dresses that fit their body type and budget. The same goes for shoe styles. This will minimize tailoring costs (and sore feet), and they may actually wear their dresses and shoes again.

Opt for Department Store Fashions
If you want the uniform look of matching dresses for the gals or suits for the guys, choose styles available from department stores, not pricey bridal shops.

Rentals Are a Beautiful Thing
Did you know you can rent bridesmaids dresses, just like the guys can rent their suits? There are multiple dress rental services out there. Give your ‘maids a range of options and let them choose the style that fits them best.

Reuse Old Bridesmaids Dresses/Let Them Wear What They Have
If you want to be the best bride ever, ask your bridesmaids about any old bridesmaids dresses they already have. You may get lucky and find that your gals have dress and color options that suit your wedding theme. For the guys, see what kind of suits or separates they already have in their closets. Be willing to work with what they’ve got so they don’t have to splurge on new outfits.

Give Them Their Accessories
Rather than mandating a specific kind of accessories that your bridesmaids or groomsmen must wear, give any accessories you want them to wear as their bridal party gifts. This will lower their costs and create a uniform look (if that’s your style). Try out these Handsome Custom Wedding Cufflinks (pictured) for the guys.

Make Hair and Makeup Flexible
Suggest a general look for the bridesmaids (neutral makeup, curly updo) rather than one specific style that the girls have to pay for. Make it possible to for them to do their own hair and makeup by choosing simple styles, like the Boho Braids with Mermaid Waves hairstyle (pictured).

Provide a Stylist on Wedding Day
If you want your gals looking uniform, provide a hairstylist and/or makeup artist on wedding day so they don’t have to pay for their looks on their own.

Buy Their Mani/Pedis
Taking your girls out for mani/pedis a day or two before the wedding not only gives you a way to oversee their color choices, but it eliminates an expense for your ladies. And it’s a great way to relieve stress right before the big day. You could also have fun with DIY nail art, like the Heart on Your Nails DIY Manicure (pictured).